January 17, 3019 (S.R. 1419)1. The Company arrives at Caras Galadon in the evening.(from the appendices)..."That night the Company slept upon the ground, much to the satisfaction of the hobbits. The Elves spread... ...a pavilion among the trees near the fountain, and in it they laid soft couches; then speaking words of peace with fair elvish voices they left them. For a little while the travellers talked of their night before in the tree-tops, and of their day's journey, and of the Lord and Lady; for they had not yet the heart to look further back. ...'What did you blush for, Sam?' said Pippin. 'You soon broke down. Anyone would have thought you had a guilty conscience. I hope it was nothing worse than a wicked plot to steal one of my blankets.' ...'I never thought no such thing,' answered Sam, in no mood for jest. 'If you want to know, I felt as if I hadn't got nothing on, and I didn't like it. She seemed to be looking inside me and asking me what I would do if she gave me the chance of flying back home to the Shire to a nice little hole with—with a bit of garden of my own.' ...'That's funny,' said Merry. 'Almost exactly what I felt... ...only well, I don't think I'll say any more,' he ended lamely. ...All of them, it seemed, had fared alike: each had felt that he was offered a choice between a shadow full of fear that lay ahead, and something that he greatly desired... ...and to get it he had only to turn aside from the road and leave the Quest and the war against Sauron to others.... ...'...To me it seemed exceedingly strange,' said Boromir. 'Maybe it was only a test, and she thought to read our thoughts for her own good purpose... ...I should have said that she was tempting us, and offering what she pretended to have the power to give. It need not be said that I refused to listen. The Men of Minas Tirith are true to their word.' But what he thought that the Lady had offered him Boromir did not tell. ...And as for Frodo, he would not speak, though Boromir pressed him with questions. 'She held you long in her gaze, Ring-bearer,' he said. ...'Yes... ...but whatever came into my mind then I will keep there.' ...'Well, have a care!' said Boromir. 'I do not feel too sure of this Elvish Lady and her purposes.' ...'Speak no evil of the Lady Galadriel!' said Aragorn sternly. 'You know not what you say. There is in her and in this land no evil, unless a man bring it hither himself... ...But tonight I shall sleep without fear for the first time since I left Rivendell. And may I sleep deep, and forget for a while my grief! I am weary in body and in heart.' He cast himself down upon his couch and fell at once into a long sleep. ...They remained some days in Lothlórien, so far as they could tell or remember." 6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observation List - November 28, 20133rd draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observation List - January 2, 2014

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West."

January 18, 2942 (S.R. 1342)1. Bilbo, Gandalf and Beorn finally arrive at Beorn's house.(determined from text & no text)..."...by mid-winter Gandalf and Bilbo had come all the way back, along both edges of the Forest, to the doors of Beorn's house; and there for a while they both stayed." ...After travelling from the Lonely Mountain for over 6 weeks covering more than 480 miles, Gandalf and Bilbo begin to enjoy their winter refuge with Beorn. When they approached the home from the north, they could see smoke rising from the chimney and a warm glow from the windows. Clearly Beorn's wonderful animals knew their master was returning and had everything made ready. 6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observation List - November 28, 20133rd draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observation List - January 2, 2014

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West."

Over the next few days, let's look at some Book Spoilers of how Sauron regained his power… for a moment of Tolkien-zen.

From OF THE RINGS OF POWER AND THE THIRD AGE: The Silmarillion

..."Thus the Exiles of Númenor established their realms in Arnor and in Gondor; but ere many years had passed it became manifest that their enemy, Sauron, had also returned. He came in secret… …to his ancient kingdom of Mordor beyond the Ephel Dúath, the Mountains of Shadow, and that country marched with Gondor upon the east. There above the valley of Gorgoroth was built his fortress vast and strong, Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower; and there was a fiery mountain in that land that the Elves named Orodruin. Indeed for that reason Sauron had set there his dwelling long before, for he used the fire that welled there from the heart of the earth in his sorceries and in his forging; and in the midst of the Land of Mordor he had fashioned the Ruling Ring. There… …he brooded in the dark, until he had wrought for himself a new shape; and it was terrible… …his fair semblance had departed for ever when he was cast into the abyss at the drowning of Númenor. He took up again the great Ring and clothed himself in power; and the malice of the Eye of Sauron few even of the great among Elves and Men could endure. ...…Sauron prepared war against the Eldar and the Men of Westernesse, and the fires of the Mountain were wakened again. Wherefore seeing the smoke of Orodruin from afar, and perceiving that Sauron had returned, the Númenóreans named that mountain anew Amon Amarth, which is Mount Doom."

Here's the 2nd Book Spoiler of this set of 3 that tells of a great alliance... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.

From OF THE RINGS OF POWER AND THE THIRD AGE: The Silmarillion

..." And Sauron gathered to him great strength of his servants out of the east and the south; and among them were not a few of the high race of Númenor. For in the days of the sojourn of Sauron... ...the hearts of well nigh all its people had been turned towards darkness. Therefore many of those who sailed east in that time and made fortresses and dwellings upon the coasts were already bent to his will, and they served him still gladly in Middle-earth. But because of the power of Gil-galad these renegades, lords both mighty and evil... ...took up their abodes in the southlands far away; yet two there were, Herumor and Fuinur, who rose to power among the Haradrim, a great and cruel people that dwelt in the wide lands south of Mordor beyond the mouths of Anduin. ...When therefore Sauron saw his time he came with great force against the new realm of Gondor, and he took Minas Ithil, and he destroyed the White Tree of Isildur that grew there. But Isildur escaped, and taking with him a seedling of the Tree he went with his wife and his sons by ship down the River, and they sailed from the mouths of Anduin seeking Elendil. Meanwhile Anárion held Osgiliath against the Enemy, and... ...drove him back to the mountains; but Sauron gathered his strength again, and Anárion knew that unless help should come his kingdom would not long stand." 6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observation List - November 28, 20133rd draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observation List - January 2, 2014

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West."

Here's the last Book Spoiler of this set that tells of the alliance of the wise and the fall of the mighty... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.

From OF THE RINGS OF POWER AND THE THIRD AGE: The Silmarillion

..."Elendil and Gil-galad took counsel together, for they perceived that Sauron would grow too strong and would overcome all his enemies one by one, if they did not unite against him. Therefore they made that League which is called the Last Alliance... ...they marched east into Middle-earth gathering a great host of Elves and Men; and they halted for a while at Imladris. It is said that the host that was there assembled was fairer and more splendid in arms than any that has since been seen in Middle-earth, and none greater has been mustered since the host of the Valar went against Thangorodrim. ...From Imladris they crossed the Misty Mountains by many passes and marched down the River Anduin, and... ...came at last upon the host of Sauron on Dagorlad, the Battle Plain, which lies before the gate of the Black Land. All living things were divided in that day, and some of every kind, even of beasts and birds, were found in either host, save the Elves only. They alone were undivided and followed Gil-galad. Of the Dwarves few fought upon either side; but the kindred of Durin of Moria fought against Sauron. ...The host of Gil-galad and Elendil had the victory... ...the might of the Elves was still great in those days, and the Númenóreans were strong and tall, and terrible in their wrath. Against Aeglos the spear of Gil-galad none could stand; and the sword of Elendil filled Orcs and Men with fear... ...it shone with the light of the sun and of the moon, and it was named Narsil. ...Then Gil-galad and Elendil passed into Mordor and encompassed the stronghold of Sauron; and they laid siege to it for seven years, and suffered grievous loss by fire... ...darts and bolts of the Enemy, and Sauron sent many sorties against them. There in the valley of Gorgoroth Anárion son of Elendil was slain... ...But at the last the siege was so strait that Sauron himself came forth; and he wrestled with Gil-galad and Elendil, and they both were slain, and the sword of Elendil broke under him as he fell. But Sauron also was thrown down, and with the hilt-shard of Narsil Isildur cut the Ruling Ring from the hand of Sauron and took it for his own... ...Sauron was for that time vanquished, and he forsook his body, and his spirit fled far away and hid in waste places; and he took no visible shape again for many long years." 6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observation List - November 28, 20133rd draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observation List - January 2, 2014

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West."

January 22, 3019 (S.R. 1419)1. The Fellowship rests in Lothlórien. [While Gandalf deals with the Balrog in the mountain.](not from the appendices)..."They remained some days in Lothlórien, so far as they could tell or remember.... ...The air was cool and soft, as if it were early spring, yet they felt about them the deep and thoughtful quiet of winter. It seemed to them that they did little but eat and drink and rest, and walk among the trees; and it was enough. ...They had not seen the Lord and Lady again, and they had little speech with any of the Elven-folk; for few of these spoke any but their own silvan tongue. Haldir had... ...gone back again to the fences of the North, where great watch was now kept since the tidings of Moria that the Company had brought. Legolas was away much among the Galadrim, and after the first night he did not sleep with the other companions, though he returned to eat and talk with them. Often he took Gimli with him when he went abroad in the land, and the others wondered at this change." 6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observation List - November 28, 20133rd draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observation List - January 2, 2014

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West."

January 23, 3019 (S.R. 1419)1. [As the remaining Fellowship rests in Lothlórien] Gandalf pursues the Balrog to the peak of Zirak-zigil.(from the appendices)..."''Long time I fell... ...Long I fell, and he fell with me. His fire was about me. I was burned. Then we plunged into the deep water and all was dark. Cold it was as the tide of death: almost it froze my heart... ...it has a bottom, beyond light and knowledge,' said Gandalf. 'Thither I came at last, to the uttermost foundations of stone. He was with me still. His fire was quenched, but now he was a thing of slime, stronger than a strangling snake. ...'We fought far under the living earth, where time is not counted. Ever he clutched me, and ever I hewed him, till at last he fled into dark tunnels. They were not made by Durin's folk... ...Far, far below the deepest delvings of the Dwarves, the world is gnawed by nameless things. Even Sauron knows them not. They are older than he. Now I have walked there, but I will bring no report to darken the light of day. In that despair my enemy was my only hope, and I pursued him, clutching at his heel...."" 6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observation List - November 28, 20133rd draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observation List - January 2, 2014

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West."